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Is Clean Air and Water a Birthright?

By Joshua Sandstrom

What is a birthright? Is it something that is gifted or bestowed simply by choosing to come to the Earth and take on a physical body? To me things like clean air and water, pure food, and a healthy home environment are birthrights.

In my travels throughout the world I have seen true happiness in the eyes of children, even in the face of harsh conditions. It seems, however, that this happiness fades as the harshness of their lives swallows them and strips them of their God-given birthrights.

There are those that have, and those that do not. Often those that have, have too much and rarely realize what they’ve been given; while those that have not may look on in envy and rage, wondering how and why the circumstances of their lives are so much more difficult.

How do those of us who are fortunate on every level help to deliver what we consider birthrights to those who are not so fortunate?That is the question that must be answered by us as we enter the Aquarian Age. Is it simply about doing sadhana? What if you don’t even have clean water to drink before and after your daily practice? Currently over 70% of the human population are in such dire circumstances that they can’t even think about doing a yoga practice.

How do those of us that have found a personal connection with God, and have been given the chance to shine in the sun of our own destiny, help those that have been given so little? To me, it comes down to our willingness to share.

If we can all find ways to reach out and serve others by doing simple, practical things to make the world a better place, the world will become a better place. Everyday actions like supporting organic agriculture and fairly traded goods, purchasing recycled or tree free paper products, and adopting a vegetarian diet, can have huge impacts on people all around the world.

When we recycle instead of throw away, the result is that less resources are used by those that have too much, and more resources are available to distribute to those who have too little. When we use non-toxic products for cleaning, washing, and new construction, we eliminate that many more toxic chemicals produced, mined, and extracted at the expense of the health and well-being of someone far, far away.

How are we going to ensure that in this coming Golden Era of Peace, the birthrights of clean air and water, pure food, and non-toxic environments will be available to all who walk the planet with us?

What is a birthright? To me it is the right and responsibility to act appropriately from a very simple place of operation. In my everyday action I simply ask myself, what would happen if everyone did this? Would the world be a better or worse place one thousand years from now? It really is that simple.